1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus that are used to support flexible bags thereon. More particularly, the present invention relates to bag supporting apparatus whereby a flexible bag can be placed thereon so as to be washed in a conventional dishwasher. More particularly, the present invention relates to bag supporting apparatus which allows various sizes of bags to be securely supported in an open position.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Classic food storage bags have enjoyed widespread popularity. These bags are typically made from clear, tough plastic and a zip-type closure or seal mechanism at the bag mouth for sealing the bag in a fluid-tight manner. Over the years, these bags have become increasing durable, to the point where they are now able to be used on multiple occasions. However, such bags continue to be marketed and used as single use “disposable” storage bags.
The disposability of the bags provides a source of convenience for bag users. Unfortunately, the bags can be costly and their disposal contributes large amounts of solid waste to already strained landfills. Further, these bags are made from petroleum-based plastics, and their manufacture further depletes the earth's finite oil supply. Additionally, these bags will only degrade over an extended period of time of around 500 years. As such, the accumulation of such disposable bags in landfills presents an environmental problem for generations to follow.
The main cause of the premature disposal of these plastic bags is the lack of an effective and convenient apparatus for washing, rinsing, and drying the bags after they have been used for storage of food or the like. One prior approach is to manually wash the interior of the bag. In addition to being time-consuming, unpleasant and often ineffective, the lack of a suitable support for the bags allows the bag walls to collapse together and trap moisture in the bag interior.
Additionally, users of such disposable bags will often have various sizes of bags. These bags can be in the nature of a quart bag up to a gallon bag. Prior attempts to provide such disposable bag washing devices have only been able to accommodate a single size of bags and cannot easily and effectively accommodate a range of bag sizes. As such, a need has developed whereby a bag supporting apparatus can be used for supporting various sizes of bags in a desired open position.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to such bag support apparatus. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,018, issued on Apr. 11, 1995 to Anthrop, Jr., describes a dishwasher attachment for supporting a freezer bag. The attachment includes a hose and a clip. The hose is engageable with any of two of the prongs of the dishwasher rack so as to accommodate various-sized freezer bags. The clip is slidably engageable with the hose and is configured to secure a plastic bag to the hose. The position of the clip is slidably adjustable relative to the hose so as to accommodate freezer bags of varying dimensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,792, issued on Aug. 18, 1998 to Convertino, provides a washing and drying rack for resealable bags. The apparatus has a base structure which contains an opening for allowing fluid to pass therethrough. A bag support structure extends from the base structure and is configured to support a plastic bag in such an orientation that the opening of the bag is in fluid communication with the opening of the base structure. The bag support structure is also configured to keep the opening of the bag open to permit a flow of fluid into and out of the bag. Clips or other retaining devices are also included for retaining the plastic bag on the support structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,492, issued on Apr. 9, 2002 to Brown, discloses an apparatus for retaining plastic bags during washing. The apparatus includes an open, segmented framework defining a form structure over which a soiled bag is positioned. First and second parallel frame sidewalls are laterally spaced-apart and interconnected such that the formed structure corresponds generally in size and shape to the interior of a plastic bag to be positioned thereover so that the form will maintain the bag in an open state. The framework includes a first or upper end and a second or lower end. The upper end is inserted into the open mouth of a soiled plastic bag. The upper end of the framework converges or tapers slightly to facilitate ease of insertion into the open mouth of a soiled plastic bag. The form is inserted into the bag until the mouth of the bag is seated around the second end of the framework. A plurality of bag retaining clips are located at the framework lower end to releasably receive and firmly retain peripheral portions of the bag at the mouth area during bag washing in a dishwasher.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,567, issued on May 6, 2003 to S. A. Mood, teaches a device for washing a reusable storage bag in a dishwasher. This device is formed by a frame assembly of one or more main bars joined with one or more connecting bars. Intersecting crossbars act both to spread open the bag and hold it for washing. The device has holes in the bottom of the main bar which allow it to be placed and secured onto any of the vertically-oriented branches of the dish trays common to conventional dishwashing machines. The device is designed to hold and spread the bag apart wide enough to allow the washing jets of a conventional dishwasher to reach the corners of the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,982, issued on Nov. 4, 2003 to M. A. Bjerke, describes an adjustable plastic bag drying rack. This apparatus is comprised of a rectangularly-shaped tray having front and rear tine assemblies which are comprised of a laterally-oriented pivotally mounted tine bases. The inner portions of the tine bases are equipped with a plurality of bag tines that extend perpendicularly therefrom in a manner so that extend in a parallel fashion away from the center of rotation defined by the tine bases. The positions of the tine assemblies with respect to one another spaces the individual bag tines so that the distance between those positioned on the front tine assembly with respect to those on the rear tine assembly equals the width of the plastic storage bags to be dried.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,754, issued on Jan. 10, 2006 to Anderson et al., provides a bag washing apparatus and method. This apparatus has at least two vertically-extending support and restraining straps that may be engaged with like straps to form a resilient support framework. A plurality of mating dimples and protrusions offer controlled size adjustments, while maintaining the reliability of the structure. The structure is readily collapsible to a flat and compact structure prior to purchase and when not in use. The structure also includes a features to engage with the rack in the dishwasher to prevent the support and bag from being substantially relocated during the wash process.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0049014, published on Mar. 1, 2012 to the present inventor, shows an adjustable frame to support flexible bodies. This adjustable frame has a plurality of telescoping legs arranged in first and second pairs. Each leg of the first pair is rotatably coupled together and each leg of the second pair is rotatably coupled together. A scissor link mechanism coupled between the legs of the first and second pairs to vary a length of the plurality of legs in response to a distance between the first and second pairs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag supporting apparatus that can suitably allow a flexible bag to be placed thereover so as to allow the bag to be washed in a dishwasher.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bag supporting apparatus which can be adjustable to the interior dimensions of various sizes of plastic bags.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bag supporting apparatus which can be easily folded into a small configuration for transport and storage.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bag supporting apparatus which can be easily secured to a peg in a dishwasher rack.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a bag supporting apparatus which allows the flexible bag to completely cleaned during the dishwashing process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bag supporting apparatus that can serve as a drying rack for the bag after washing.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a bag supporting apparatus which easy to use, easy to manufacture, and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.